Timeline
16:50
Grab a cold drink and a snack. The area near Mae Jo University has plenty of small shops and stalls open in the late afternoon. Check the route to find a spot that is easy to reach from your starting point.
17:20
Walk to the edge of the Mae Jo Lantern Release area. Find a spot where you can see the sky clearly. The event is held near Mae Jo University, so look for signs or crowds gathering in that vicinity.
17:35
Watch the golden light hit the trees and the first lanterns. The DMC Buddhist Sect organizes this release. It is not an official Chiang Mai government event, so the atmosphere is more local and less commercialized than other festivals.
18:05
Stay for the main release if you wish, then wander away from the crowd. Find a quiet cafe or a street food stall nearby to digest your snack and watch the last few lanterns float up. Check the route back to your accommodation.
Local tip
The lantern release is organized by the DMC Buddhist Sect. It is often called the '10,000 lantern release' but there are far fewer. It is billed as 'for local people' but has no connection to traditional Lanna festivals.
Check before you go
- Golden light starts at 17:35 on 15 January.
- The event is on the Saturday before Loi Krathong.
- Check the route to Mae Jo University from your location.
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Chiang Mai (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).